Saturday, November 15, 2014

Nagpur: The trial run to check the feasibility of flying an amphibian between Nagpur and Khindsi in Ramtek was held on Saturday. A Mumbai-based company Maritime Energy Heli Airservices (MEHR) has decided to operate the aircraft on the Nagpur-Khindsi-Nawegaon Khairi-Nagpur circuit.

Officials of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) were on the first flight to look at the route's safety aspect. The project is the brainchild of former Ramtek MLA Ashish Jaiswal.

The company is already operating seaplanes on Mumbai-Lonavla and Mumbai-Shirdi routes. The novel experience will, however, be quite costly. The first route costs Rs 4,500 and the second Rs 5,500. These do not include charges for other activities. MEHR is mainly targeting high-end Indian and international tourists who go to Kanha from Nagpur.

It has applied for Juhu-Girgaum route too but not much has happened after the trial run. It has plans for Goa and Gujarat too.

Siddharth Verma, promoter of MEHR, said that the sea plane ride will be a part of tourist package that will be operated in association with local tour operators. "The plane will take off from Nagpur airport and land in middle of Khindsi lake. Tourists will get down onto a floating dock and will be brought ashore by a speedboat. They will be taken to Gadmandir, Nagardhan fort, etc and then they will return to Khindsi.

"From Khindsi the plane will take off for Nawegaon-Khairi dam. We will arrange a boat safari of the dam and visits to Mansinghdeo Sanctuary and Pench National Park," he said.

Jaiswal accompanied by Ramtek MP Krupal Tumane told the media that the company presently had two aircraft Cessna 208 having a seating capacity of nine passengers and two pilots and a Cessna 204 with a passenger seating capacity of four. "Initially, they will launch operations with a nine-seater aircraft and if the response is good then a 19-seater plane would be used for the circuit," he said.

"The aircraft will fly at an altitude of between 2,500 and 4,000 feet and the flyers will get an excellent view of Nagpur city, the countryside and the dams. I have flown on Mumbai-Lonavla route and the view of the metropolis was very exciting," added Jaiswal.

The total flight timing of the circuit will be 20 minutes. "It takes 30 minutes to go to Lonavla and 50 minutes to Gangapur dam near Shirdi. Here the route shorter and hence the fares will be lower," Jaiswal said.

Verma was thankful to ex-MLA Ashish Jaiswal for his initiative. "We had applied for Juhu-Girgaum route but after the trial run it is stuck up. However, Jaiswal has been pursuing our case since months. We needed three to four months for getting a trial permission on other routes. Here it took less than a month," he said.

The MEHR chief said that he was aware that paying capacity of Nagpurians was low as compared to Mumbaites. "We have not decided the charges and they will be fixed with in consultation with local tour operators. The inaugural prices will be kept low," he said.NEW FLIGHT ON THE HORIZON

A unique group of
aviators who share a love for flying and agriculture are meeting at
Gaston's White River Resort at Lakeview Friday through Sunday.

Members
of Cropdusters United, a non-profit group made up of 1,500 crop dusters
from across the country, are holding their second annual meeting at the
resort.

A gathering of 200 to 300--including pilots and their families--are expected for the event.

The
organization's president, Perry Lowry of Hamburg, says although most
won't be bringing their aircraft, there will be a dozen or so crop
duster planes at Gaston's landing strip and the public's welcome to view
them.

Lowry says there are about 3,000 crop dusters in the United States.

Cropdusters
United was begun in 2010 and it's a group that "has connected the dots"
and allows its members to put faces with names.

It's a group of kindred spirits that Lowry describes as a self-help organization.

The 32-year old Lowry says his love for crop dusters came from his father and brother, who both spent decades in the business.

Another member of the
group, 62-year old Tommy Benton of Monette, began as a crop duster in
1976. Benton, who left the business for 15 years but now owns his own
flying service, says there are risks.

But both Benton and Lowry
say crop dusters are not the aerial cowboys they are sometimes
portrayed. Lowry agrees there are risks, but says the industry has
changed.

The two say today's crop dusters follow stringent safety
procedures when spraying or using chemicals and herbicides. The pilots
use respirators, and wear rubber gloves and goggles and they work to
ensure chemicals they apply don't drift to other property. The men say
their working season runs from February to October, and sometimes
longer.

Despite the safety precautions, Lowry says there's still an element of flying by the seat of your pants.

Benton
says most agricultural pilots and operators are in their 50s, 60s and
70s which leaves the future of the industry in question. There don't
seem to be a large number of young people joining the ranks.

But those involved in crop dusting are a close knit family and Benton says they take pride in what they do.

That
was Perry Lowry and Tommy Benton with the group Cropdusters United who
are holding their annual meeting at Gaston's White River Resort. The
event continues until Sunday.

LONDON— Airbus Group NV’s third-quarter net profit fell 41% from a year earlier but operating profit topped analysts’ expectations and the plane maker stuck to its full-year profit guidance.

A big improvement in the plane maker’s cash generation cheered investors and shares rose 1.6% on Friday in London.

The Toulouse, France, plane maker said net profit fell to €264 million ($329 million) from €445 million on flat revenue of €13.3 billion. Operating profit was €821 million, up from €706 million a year earlier.

The plane maker delivered more unprofitable A380 super jumbos in the period and fewer earnings-boosted single-aisle and widebody jets. Free cash flow improved to €180 million from an outflow of €686 million in the third quarter last year.

“We still face a number of challenges,” Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said. Programs such as the A400M military airlifter and the A350 “require strong management focus,” Mr. Enders said.

Airbus said “negative cost and risk evolution” are an issue as the armies that have bought the planes are taking time to get used to them and are finding the aircraft difficult to customize.

The group, which has a much smaller range of defense aerospace programs than rival Boeing Co. , has struggled with development of the A400M plane, now in service with the French and Turkish militaries. Problems have ranged from the aircraft’s large turbo-propeller engine to some of its complex systems, causing the program to fall about four years behind plan.

Airbus has booked 174 orders for the A400M, with Malaysia the only customer beyond a group of six European countries and Turkey backing its development. Airbus might benefit from Boeing’ decision to cease building the C-17 military airlifter next year.

Some customers, such as Germany and the U.K., have cut the number of A400Ms they are taking, and more cancellations could come. Customers have the right to terminate contracts since Nov. 1. “However, management judges that it is highly unlikely that this termination right is exercised,” Airbus said.

Airbus has delivered only four A400Ms this year. “Clearly there was a target to deliver more,” Mr. Wilhem said. However, Airbus said it is sticking to a goal of handing over 10 of the aircraft this year to customers. Talks to sell other defense assets, including a holding in the Atlas Elektronik naval-technology joint venture with ThyssenKrupp AG , are progressing, Mr. Wilhelm said. “We’ve received a lot of interest,” he said.

Airbus stuck to its target of delivering the first A350 long-range jet, its newest plane, to Qatar Airways before the end of the year. European regulators approved the jet to enter service at the end of September, with the U.S. giving its green light this week.

The plane maker already has met its target of ensuring new orders for planes exceed planned deliveries this year. In the first 10 months of 2014, it secured 794 net commercial jetliner orders against planned deliveries of around 626 planes.

Orders for Airbus’s flagship A380 superjumbo remain scarce. Airbus canceled a deal with a Japanese airline for six of the planes, even though two were already built. “We are confident we can reallocate them,” Mr. Wilhelm said, characterizing as the plane’s backlog for 2016 and 2017 as healthy.

Airbus is increasingly focused on its commercial jetliner business, that represents the bulk of its sales. Among defense assets up for sale is the group’s 46% stake in French combat jet maker Dassault Aviation SA which Airbus is will sell when market conditions are right, Mr. Wilhelm said.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On November 15, 2014, about 1606 eastern standard time, a Beech F33A, N4548S, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during a forced landing, after a loss of power during cruise near Clinton, Connecticut. The pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, which departed Groton-New London Airport (GON), Groton, Connecticut, destined for Orange County Airport (MGJ), Montgomery, New York.

According to the pilot, earlier in the day she had flown the airplane from MGJ to GON. She had approximately 20 gallons of fuel in each wing tank prior to departure. She did not refuel at GON. At approximately 1555 she departed on her return flight to MGJ. After takeoff she made a left turn and established herself on course. She then climbed to 4,500 feet above mean sea level and trimmed for cruise flight, set 2,300 revolutions per minute (rpm), manifold pressure to 23 inches of mercury, and fuel flow to 13 gallons per hour. Sometime later, air traffic control (ATC) pointed out traffic to the pilot however, the sun was directly ahead of her, and very bright, making it difficult for her to see. She then advised ATC that she was looking for traffic, and shortly afterwards, she heard "a loud explosive bang - like a gunshot." She immediately checked her instruments. The rpm had risen to "over 2,500 rpm – over redline." She then reduced the propeller control back with no effect. The plane started to "shudder – physically shaking me." The rpm on her tachometer had now dropped to 2,000. Her airspeed had also dropped off and she began to lose altitude. She then checked her propeller setting and aggressively advanced the propeller, but there was no increase in rpm.

She contacted ATC and told them she had engine problems and declared an emergency. ATC advised her to land at Chester Airport (SNC), Chester, Connecticut, which was the nearest airport. She then requested vectors to SNC. They advised her to turn to a heading of 180 degrees which she did. She advised ATC that she did not see the airport, nor did she see any other clearing or road. All she saw were trees, and she continued to lose altitude. She flew the plane straight and level, as best she could, trying to maintain the plane's best glide speed. She called ATC again requesting the location of the airport. They advised her that it was about 2 miles at her 12 o'clock position. However, she still could not see it. She realized at this point that she was not going to find the airport or any other open area before she hit the trees.

She continued to fly the plane straight and level and decided not to put the landing gear down as she was aiming to land the airplane on top of the trees, hoping they would cushion the plane as it descended to the ground. She reached down to shut the fuel selector off because she was afraid there might be a fire once she crashed. She knew there was still plenty of fuel on board. However, since she did it as she was approaching the tree tops, she could not look at the fuel selector handle to check its setting. She knew she turned the handle, but she was not sure if she had fully turned it to the left to the "Off" position from the right tank before the plane then collided with the trees.

Examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane came to rest inverted, in a nose and left wing down position, wedged between trees, 10 feet above ground level. Both fuel bladders were breached; however, fuel was discovered to be trapped in the undamaged portion of each fuel bladder. Approximately 17 gallons of fuel was recovered from the right wing tank. Less than 1 gallon of fuel was recovered from the left wing tank. The fuel selector was in the "LEFT TANK" position. The fuel strainer was clean, free of debris, and devoid of fuel. No fuel was recovered from the fuel supply line to the engine driven fuel pump.

The propeller remained attached to the engine; the blades remained secured in the hub. One propeller blade was unremarkable, the tip of one propeller blade was bent aft, and the third blade displayed a slight twist. None displayed leading edge impact damage.

The wreckage was retained by the NTSB for further examination.

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Windsor Locks FSDO-63

CLINTON, CT (WFSB) - Crews responded to the scene of a single-engine plane crash in Clinton on Saturday afternoon.

The plane crashed into trees near a home on Princess Pine Lane at about 4:10 p.m.

According to town officials, 62-year-old Shirley Onacilla from Jersey City, NJ, was flying to Orange County, NY, when she experienced engine issues. Onacilla called for help and crews were trying to get her to Chester Airport, but she lost power.

Neighbors who saw the whole thing unfold raced up to help the pilot.

"I just heard trees. You could hear a couple trees getting nicked, and then I looked up and it just stopped," said Robert Baptista.

Baptista was splitting wood in his backyard when he saw the plane come crashing down just 150 feet from his house. He and his father-in-law immediately rushed to help Onacilla.

"Put the ladder up onto the cockpit, climbed up there and tried to help her get out," Baptista explained.

Onacilla was flying from Groton-New London Airport to Orange County, NY. Baptista said she didn't say much after she crashed.

"She was very calm, actually, calmer than I was," Baptista said.

According to officials, Onacilla was alert and conscious when she was rescued. She was taken to Middlesex Memorial Hospital in Westbrook and was released after being treated for minor bruises and cuts.

Onacilla was the only person on board, and police said they can't thank Baptista enough for his selfless actions in the face of an emergency.

"He was fantastic. He was calm, cool and collected throughout the whole ordeal," said Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn from the Clinton Police Department.

The plane is in a precarious position, and there is fuel on board. Clinton police and fire departments will be on the scene overnight to monitor and secure the situation for tomorrow.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were notified and are expected to investigate Sunday.

The
crash occurred about 4:10 p.m. in the woods behind 7 Princess Pine
Road. Liz Egan of Clinton told News 8 via Report-It that her neighbor
first heard the branches breaking in the woods near his home on
Ironworks Road. When he looked up, he saw a cloud of smoke coming from
the woods.

Egan said that the pilot was able to walk away from the wreck, but was taken to the hospital by a local ambulance.

News
8 spoke with Clinton First Selectman Willie Fritz, who told us the
pilot was a 62-year-old woman flying to Orange County, New York. Fritz
said the pilot made a distress call that she was running out of gas. She
was instructed to land the Beech BE-33 aircraft at Chester Airport, but
she ran out of fuel less than five miles from the airport.

Clinton
fire officials said they expect to be on the scene until the National
Trasportation Safety Board (NTSB) arrives to take over the
investigation.Story, comments and video: http://wtnh.com

Firefighters rescued a pilot trapped in a single-engine plane that crashed into the woods 100
feet from a house in Clinton on Saturday afternoon, according to Clinton
First Selectman William Fritz.Fritz said the plane, which was
attempting to land at Chester Airport, went down around 3 p.m. in the
area of Princess Pine Road and Ironworks Road. A homeowner was in the
backyard splitting wood when the plane barreled into the trees.The
homeowner brought a ladder up to the crash site and talked to the
pilot, who was conscious and alert, but couldn't get the pilot out,
Fritz said.According to Fritz, the plane appears to have run out
of fuel. The pilot, who firefighters pulled from the plane, has been
taken to Middlesex Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening
injuries.The National Transportation Safety Board is heading to
the scene to investigate the crash. Fritz said the plane is still
dangling from the trees 8-10 feet from the ground.- Source: http://www.nbcconnecticut.com

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA052 14 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, November 15, 2014 in Williamson, GAProbable Cause Approval Date: 01/05/2016Aircraft: DEHAVILLAND TIGER MOTH DH 82A, registration: N28681Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.According to the pilot, the airplane’s engine power and performance were “good,” and the airplane demonstrated its “gentle” handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree banking turns. The airplane crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude and then entered a vertical, nose-down descent. The pilot reported that he could not recall how the airplane transitioned from level flight to a nose-down descent. However, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain airspeed and that the airplane exceeded its critical angle-of-attack. During the descent, the pilot held the control stick fully aft, and the elevator gained enough authority to allow him to level the airplane just above ground level as he flew it between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright. The pilot said that, once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority. He reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at an insufficient altitude to fully recover before collision with obstacles and terrain.On November 15, 2014, about 1030 eastern standard time, a DeHavilland DH82A Tiger Moth, N28681, was destroyed during collision with structures and terrain following a loss of control in flight at Peach State Airport (GA2), Williamson, Georgia. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, while his pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from GA2 about 1020. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.The pilot was interviewed by telephone and provided a written statement. He said the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the passenger with the operation of the airplane.According to the pilot, the preflight inspection, engine start, warm-up, taxi, and takeoff were conducted with no anomalies noted. He briefed the passenger that he would depart from runway 31, perform some turns, and return over the airport in order to enter a right downwind for landing on runway 13.The airplane's engine power and performance were "good" and the airplane demonstrated its "gentle" handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree bank turns. The pilot said he crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude, and then remembered being in a vertical, nose-down descent. He said he had no recollection of how the airplane transitioned from level flight to descending nose down.The pilot stated that he held the control stick fully aft during the descent, and that the elevator gained enough authority to level the airplane just above ground level, as he flew between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright.The pilot said that once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority.Photographs of the wreckage by a local media outlet revealed that the entire tube and fabric structure of the airplane was completely destroyed. A flag and flagpole were seen entangled with the wreckage. The engine and propeller were not visible.According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1945. Its most recent annual inspection was completed October 3, 2014, at 1,749 total aircraft hours.The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued in April 8, 2014. The pilot reported 1,400 total hours of flight experience, of which 305 were in the accident airplane make and model.The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On November 15, 2014, about 1030 eastern standard time, a DeHavilland DH82A Tiger Moth, N684RA, was destroyed during collision with structures and terrain following a loss of control in flight at Peach State Airport (GA2), Williamson, Georgia. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, while his pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from GA2 about 1020. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The pilot was interviewed by telephone and provided a written statement. He said the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the passenger with the operation of the airplane.

According to the pilot, the preflight inspection, engine start, warm-up, taxi, and takeoff were conducted with no anomalies noted. He briefed the passenger that he would depart from runway 31, perform some turns, and return over the airport in order to enter a right downwind for landing on runway 13.

The airplane's engine power and performance were "good" and the airplane demonstrated its "gentle" handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree bank turns. The pilot said he crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude, and then remembered being in a vertical, nose-down descent. He said he had no recollection of how the airplane transitioned from level flight to descending nose down.

The pilot stated that he held the control stick fully aft during the descent, and that the elevator gained enough authority to level the airplane just above ground level, as he flew between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright.

The pilot said that once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority.

Photographs of the wreckage by a local media outlet revealed that the entire tube and fabric structure of the airplane was completely destroyed. A flag and flagpole were seen entangled with the wreckage. The engine and propeller were not visible.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1945. Its most recent annual inspection was completed October 3, 2014, at 1,749 total aircraft hours.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued in April 8, 2014. The pilot reported 1,400 total hours of flight experience, of which 305 were in the accident airplane make and model.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office: FAA Atlanta FSDO-11

WILLIAMSON - According to
information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a
de Havilland Tiger Moth aircraft crashed upon departure from Peach State
Airport in Williamson this morning.According to local
sources, one person was transported by Life Flight to Grady Hospital and
the other was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Pike County
E911 received an emergency call at 10:39 a.m.

Kathleen Bergen,
Public Information Officer for the FAA Southern Region, advised that two
people were aboard the vintage biplane when it went down. "The FAA is
investigating," she said. "We will update this statement when we have
new information."

ATLANTA - A small, vintage plane crashed with two people on board. Federal
Aviation Administration investigators say the de Havilland Tiger Moth
plane crashed on departure from the Peach State Airport in Williamson.The crash happened at about 10:30 Saturday morning.The FAA is investigating.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A bird strike damaged a plane, knocked out the pilot's instrument panel and forced it to land at Oakland International Airport.

The plane had to loop around over the East Bay shortly after takeoff.

One of the passengers told ABC7 News they were just minutes into the flight when a stern, but calm announcement came from their captain saying they would have to turn around and land back at the Oakland airport.

According to Alaska Airlines, Flight 349 departed Oakland at 6:47 p.m. for Seattle when shortly after takeoff pilots believe they encountered a bird strike and out of an abundance of caution, they returned the flight back to Oakland.

All 150 passengers on board were OK.

Passenger Chung Park said, "We didn't notice the plane do anything. The pilot came on the PA and said we had a bird strike."

The captain also announced that the impact knocked out an electronics panel inside the cockpit, but his first officer's instruments were fine, so they safely landed.

Alaska Airlines spokesperson Halley Knigge said the pilots are trained for these kinds of emergencies. She said the passengers would be put on a replacement plane by midnight.

ATLANTA — Aerospace engineers in Georgia face a no-win legal situation that could be hampering growth of the aviation industry.A legislative committee studying ways to bolster flight-related jobs heard testimony Wednesday about the legal quirk. Georgia law requires anyone designing planes, helicopters, rockets or even their major repairs to be professionally licensed by the state.But the Federal Aviation Administration oversees the operation of aircraft, so the state stopped giving licensing exams more than a decade ago. Aerospace engineers who want a state license have no way to get one unless they opt for a general-engineering test on topics like concrete, soil erosion and building ventilation.“We don’t care about being licensed by the state because no one from the state ever knocks on our door saying, ‘let me see your license,’” said Greg Kress, co-owner of Top Flight Aerostructures in Dallas, Ga.Florida is the only state that exempts aerospace engineers from the legal requirement to be licensed, and that likely had its origins in the NASA-related work at Cape Canaveral.Aviation is already a big industry in Georgia, with manufacturers like Gulfstream Aerospace and Lockheed Martin that make this the top state for aerospace exports, as well as commercial carriers like Delta Air Lines and the world’s busiest passenger airport.But there also is growth here in the development and use of drones.“I would probably put Georgia somewhere on the leading edge (among states),” said Mark A. Dombroff, a Virginia-based aviation attorney for McKenna Long & Aldridge.An even newer opportunity exists for the state to become a major player in space launches, the lawmakers were told. Community leaders in Camden County are assembling a parcel of property they want to buy and convert to a commercial space launch site.A handful of companies are interested in using it now that NASA is relying on privately operated rockets as well as the growing market for placing commercial satellites. The Camden space port could keep hundreds of Georgia Tech trained engineers from taking jobs in California, Texas and Colorado each year, according to Robert Broun, a Tech professor.“If we have the space port, it’s much easier for me to see research-and-development companies, deployment companies, all wanting to be around the space port,” he told the committee.

Funeral services are 10 a.m. Monday at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island. Burial is at Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island. Visitation is 2-5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the family for a memorial to be established at a golf course.

David was born Sept. 30, 1946, in Moline, a son of Robert D. Sr. and Anna R. DeBoef Goulet. He married Toni Smith on Jan. 27, 1968, in Milan, and married Mary Fenimore in October 1982 in Moline. He married Sandy K. Frantz Severs on Nov. 5, 1998, in Rock Island.

He was C.E.O. of Quad-City Ultralight Aircraft Corp., Moline, and in earlier years was a partner in Goulet Home Improvements, Rock Island.

David was a U.S. Army veteran, serving from 1967 to 1969. He was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, American Modeling Association, Pinnacle County Club, Oakwood Country Club and Indian Bluff. He was an avid golfer, making holes-in-one in 1988 and two in 2011. David was also an avid aviator and enjoyed gambling at the local casinos.

With four of its female pilots flying with the Auguest First aerobatic team during the 10th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition held in Zhuhai between Nov. 11-16, the PLA Air Force is trying to recruit more women to fly its fighters, according to Voice of the Strait, based in Fuzhou, Fujian province.

Cao Zhenzhong, the leader of August First told the Voice of the Strait that the requirements for females to become fighter pilots for the PLA Air Force are no different from those of males. He said that the female pilots must train as hard as their male counterparts. In addition, Cao said that the sorties the female cadets fly during their trainings have to be increased as well. This is the price they must pay to become true airwomen.

To become a pilot, a woman must be physically and psychologically strong according to Cao. He said that all female cadets have four days of gym training every week. During those trainings, they are asked to make 50m, 100m, 800m or 3,000m runs without any stopping, to make their muscles stronger. Since 1951, a total of 500 female pilots have been recruited to join the PLA Air Force. In May of 2005, China announced its new policy to allow women to be trained as fighter pilots for the first time.

Shen Jinke, the spokesperson of the PLA Air Force said that China will continue the training of female fighter pilots and encourage more women to join the service. Those four female pilots flying J-10s for the August First aerobatic team are the first-generation female fighter pilots trained in 2005. By allowing female to become pilots of combat aircraft, China is able to show the world that the Chinese women are as independent as women from Western nations such as the United States and Russia.

The
aircraft, manufactured in 1981 under C/N msn 1778 and registered as
5Y-BVQ, was on charter for the Lutheran World Foundation to deliver
relief goods loaded in Juba, South Sudan’s capital city, to the area.

The
aircraft went through the hands of several owners after first
registration in Britain in 1981 and appeared on the Kenyan aircraft
registry in January 2008, when 748 Aviation bought it. According to
details obtained did the CoA, short for Certificate of Airworthiness,
expire in late 2011 for lack of one engine before Global Airlift
acquired it in 2014. This is the second fatal crash of a Global Airlift
owned Hawker Siddley 748 (5Y-HAJ) in South Sudan this year, the first
one having taken place on 17th February at the Rubkona airfield when one
of the four occupants was killed in a landing accident while the plane
was destroyed beyond repair. Three other crew on board suffered serious
injuries at the time.Read more here: https://wolfganghthome.wordpress.com

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari said the country is expected to export $100mln of aviation equipment in the 7th International Aviation Expo.

"We are expected to export aviation equipment up to $100mln in the 7th International Aviation Exhibition, which is to be held on November 18-21 in the Southern Kish Island," Sattari said, the Iranian students' news agency reported.

He also said Iran is now exporting aviation services and parts, and hopes to boost its exports on helicopter and drones too.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Managing-Director of the Iranian Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) Manouchehr Manteqi announced that the country plans to present its home-made commercial drones in the 7th Air and Aviation Industries exhibition on Kish Island, the Persian Gulf, on Tuesday.

"The commercial drones designed by the private sector will be presented in the 7th Air and Aviation Industries Exhibition in Iran," Manteqi said in a press conference in Tehran on Saturday.

Explaining that UAVs and drones used to be only used for defensive purposes, he said now drones are also used for commercial, such as delivery, purposes and such drones will be extensively presented in the exhibition which is due to kick off work on Kish Island on Tuesday.

"The private sector has gained self-sufficiency in building commercial drones and at present the technology for building drones in Iran has become indigenized," Manteqi said.

A large number of Iranian and foreign companies are due to take part in the international aviation industries exhibition on Kish Island on November 18.

"100 Iranian and foreign companies will participate in the biennial international air and aviation industries exhibition on Kish Island," Spokesman of the Exhibition Ali Mohammad Khanmohammadi said on Wednesday.

Noting that the exhibition has so far been held 6 times, he said the exhibit is one of the most creditable exhibitions in the field of air and aviation industries.

Khanmohammadi said that displaying the capabilities of the Iranian air and aviation industries in the fields of passenger and cargo transportation and paying more attention to the expansion, renovation, updating and economical use of the country's airports as well as infrastructures and laws are among the goals pursued by holding the exhibition.

Haryana’s first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, has turned down the proposal to buy a new state aircraft for self and the other VVIPs, including the governor.

In a signal that he would like to remain austere, Khattar, a former Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) ideologue, has shown inclination to travel either by commercial or chartered flights or by train. The new CM flew down from Delhi aboard a commercial flight recently a day after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The CM told HT he had a clear view in this regard. “I feel a state aircraft does not have great utility in a state such as Haryana, which is not a very vast. Since the state government has a chopper already, it should be enough for our requirements,” Khattar said aboard Shatabdi Express on Friday.

A proposal to purchase the new aircraft from the public exchequer money was mooted during the previous Congress rule after a government Beech Super King Air B200 crashed at the Chandigarh airport on March 27, landing on its left wing seconds after takeoff. The-then governor, Jagannath Pahadia, his wife, and eight others on board had a miraculous escape.

The-then Congress government formed a committee led by the-then finance secretary, Rajan Gupta, to look for a new flying machine. The cost could be anything between Rs. 60 and 70 crore. Since many in the state government see the official airplane as essential for the CM, considering his hectic travel schedules, officials are likely to charter the airplane when the need comes.

Khattar, though, has at his disposal a twin-engine EC-145 state helicopter that the previous government had bought in 2009 from Eurocopter in Germany for 5.5 million euros (about Rs. 33 crore).Crash probe

While Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that governs air safety had initiated an inquiry into the March crash of a state aircraft, the state civil aviation officials found out that it had veered off course because of a jammed rudder possibly. The rudder is vertical control surface attached to the rear of the fin that steers the aircraft in conjunction with the ailerons.

When the accident happened, the flight was in the hands of senior executive pilot wing commander (retd) Bhushan Nanda and junior pilot captain Dinesh Bansal.

The aircraft purchased by the Congress regime in 2005 was used by the-then CM, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and the governor primarily. In 2011, it developed a snag in the left engine and underwent an overhaul at the Pratt and Whitney facility in Australia, costing a fortune to the state exchequer.

Crop duster Steve Freeman works a field near San Benito. Actual wind turbines like those in the background are easily visible to fliers.

San Benito crop duster Clyde Kornegay spends a lot of time flying fast and low, applying insecticides, fungicides and herbicides to the patchwork of cotton and sorghum fields dotting the eastern Rio Grande Valley.He's part of a class of pilots that are among the most talented, accustomed to maneuvering around subdivisions and avoiding trees and phone lines.Lately, though, a new obstacle has caught him and other Sun Valley Dusting Co. fliers off guard.As renewable energy companies catch on to the region's Gulf Coast breezes, they have been quietly convincing landowners to let them erect high, narrow towers to measure the winds.Since the Federal Aviation Administration regulates structures that are 200 feet or higher, it's not uncommon for the towers to be, say, 197 feet tall.From the ground, they're readily visible. But not from the cockpit, with the pilot flying at 150 mph and dealing with a kaleidoscope of visual stimuli.In the past 12 years, at least three low-altitude pilots have died from crashes with unmarked and unlighted towers.A lawsuit in the 2011 death of California crop duster Steve Allen in September ended before trial with a $6.7 million settlement.“Have I been taken surprise by one? Yes,” Kornegay said. “I have been going to make a field application on a crop-protection flight, and all of a sudden something that wasn't there two days ago is there now. Because these things can go up fast.”Known as meteorological evaluation towers, or METs, the dangers posed to crop dusters have sparked advisories by both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.At least a dozen states so far have passed laws mandating they be better marked — Texas isn't one of them.“The wind turbines themselves are these massive white towers with these big rotating fans. We can see that. They're marked on maps, they're on aerial charts,” Kornegay said. “The MET towers are going up unmarked and there's no database. You can't call a wind company and ask where they are because they won't tell you.”Texas is leading the nation in wind energy, with more than $23 billion invested in wind projects and more than $38 million paid annually for land leases.By 2015, the industry is expected to nearly double its 1,700-megawatt capacity from turbines along the Coastal Bend, a $2.3 billion investment that will add enough power for 650,000 homes, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.State Rep. Paul Workman, R-Austin, plans to introduce a Texas bill to regulate MET towers in the upcoming legislative session.“It just makes sense to get those things marked, and we'll see if we can't make that happen,” Workman said.Jeffrey Clark, executive director at the Wind Coalition, an industry group, said wind farm operators hoped to work with Texas and other states contemplating legislation in hopes of consistency.A tower that one day is testing wind in Kansas might be in another state another day, posing problems if one state wants red paint and another wants yellow.“For us, it really comes down to, can we get some standardized requirements,” Clark said. “If we can keep it consistent from place to place, it makes it easier for us to comply, which means pilots are safer.”Kurt Williams, president of the National EMS Pilots Association, was one of the signatories to a letter urging Workman to draft legislation. The letter called for towers to be painted in alternating bands of white and orange, carry high-visibility spherical markers, and be registered with the aviation division of the Texas Department of Transportation.“In the helicopter air ambulance business, we do the majority of our work from the surface to 1,000 feet off the ground,” Williams said. “For us, approaching and landing and taking off from unimproved areas, a MET tower could be a hazard ... especially in the dark as we depart a scene.”The towers are a tool used to gauge wind at various heights and times.Should the site prove viable, wind turbines can provide a nice side income for landowners. Depending on the amount of energy it produces, a contract can provide $10,000 to $16,000 per year per turbine.The energy companies have an interest in keeping their site-scoping under the radar, which is one reason the towers historically have been a nondescript gray.Besides the possibility of being undercut by another developer, there's fear of third-party interests quickly leasing large chunks of land so they can become an intermediary, which drives up the price of the land.“The wind business is so similar to oil and gas,” Clark said. “There is a certain amount of science and exploration that goes into finding the perfect locations for wind farms. And in the same way an oil and gas developer tries not to advertise exactly where they're looking, wind developers ... they are competitors so they're trying to find the best locations for wind farms without tipping their hand.”“It's hard to put up a structure this tall and keep it from being public,” Clark said. “It's really more of not wanting to advertise.”In the end, he said, safety comes first and wind industry leaders feel there are ways to make the towers visible to pilots without broadcasting exploration efforts.“If there are ways that we can keep the proprietary information private and make the pilots safer, we're going to do that,” he said. “And we've found ways to do that in other states.”John Pappas, interim director of the Texas A&M University Energy Engineering Institute, said part of the problem could be FAA rules that encouraged developers to keep the towers lower than 200 feet. That makes regulation of short towers a state-by-state issue.“If the permitting process requires them to release proprietary information, then maybe the permitting process needs to be adjusted,” he said. “And if the process takes too long for what the industry needs, then maybe the permitting process should be adjusted.”In the meantime, Pappas said, the industry was waking up to its potential liability with the towers.“There have been accidents and I think they have been attributed to the pilots not being able to see them in time,” he said. “I think the industry now knows there's a problem and they're doing something about it.”Already, Kornegay, the Valley crop duster, has noticed markings on some towers, with paint that appears fresh. He's concluded those are towers that last were erected in states that already had MET regulations on the books.“This is not a federal thing. It's a state thing, and so different towers are marked differently,” he said. “If they took a tower down from Colorado down here, the whole thing would probably painted and have lights on it. But if they brought it from a state that had no regulation other than the FAA recommendation, it might not.”The letter to Rep. Workman didn't seek a requirement for lighting, something Bruce Landsberg, senior safety adviser for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said was crucial. “What you really need are really big strobe lights on these things,” he said.“We're paying attention, don't get me wrong,” Landsberg said. “But the idea of being able to see something like that at that speed ... the odds of spotting it in time and being able to avoid it are not that great.”There's a reason police use flashing lights, Landsberg said — they catch the eye's attention.“Our physiology, the human eye's physiology, is designed to see things that move,” he said. “You know what, we're talking about human life here as opposed to commercial activity. ... I just don't think paint is particularly effective.”- Source: http://www.expressnews.com

San Antonio Express-News

As the morning sun burns off grown fog, Sun Valley Crop Dusting Company pilot Steve Freeman takes off to work fields near San Benito, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014. Crop dusters are some of the most talented pilots out there, accustomed to maneuvering around the subdivisions increasingly fragmenting once primarily rural areas such as the Rio Grande Valley. But in recent years at least five have died in accidents involving temporary meteorological evaluation towers, or METs, which are to pilots barely visible metal towers used by energy companies to site wind turbines.

"Pilot Error," a feature film inspired by the true story of a French airliner that went missing over the Atlantic, and partly filmed in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, will have a local screening on Monday, November 17 at Quality 16 (3686 Jackson Rd. in Ann Arbor) at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $8 ($5 for students, seniors and children), available in advance at www.goodrichqualitytheaters.com. Many people involved with the film will be on-hand for a talkback: director Joe Anderson; producer Roger Rapaport (former editor of The Michigan Daily); actors Julia Glander, Alex Leydenfrost, Michael Brian Ogden, and Danielle Cohen; special guest 747 Captain William Rhodes, director of standards and training at Kalitta Air; and associate producer and assistant cinematographer Bruce Schermer.A press release contains more information about the film.This drama explores many of the same questions being asked following the loss of another jet, Malaysia Air 370 in March.(Kalamazoo actress Kate) Thomsen, who is making her screen debut, plays the role of investigative reporter Nicola Wilson. She is determined to find out why a jet headed from South America to Paris disappeared in the Atlantic, taking her close friend and 211 other passengers with it. How, Wilson wants to know, can a plane just disappear?As Nicola digs deeper and deeper into this mystery, she puts her job, friends and very livelihood on the line. Even though she knows nothing about aviation, refuses to fly and doesn't speak French, Nicola quickly uncovers astonishing details about the missing flight. Was it preventable? Has it happened before? Could it happen again? And was it "Pilot Error"?Director Joe Anderson, based in Grand Rapids, co-wrote the screenplay with Muskegon-based producer Roger Rapoport.Costarring Hollywood actors Richard Riehle (“Office Space”), Robert Cicchini (“Godfather III” and “Waterwalk”), and Larry Herron (“Modern Family”), the movie features many prominent Midwestern actors, including Deborah Staples, Jennifer Jelsema, Julia Glander, Alex Leydenfrost, Craig Powers and Michael Brian Ogden."Pilot Error" was shot in the Muskegon area, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti Willow Run, Montague, Whitehall, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and Paris. The producers filmed extensively at the Air Zoo in Portage, Muskegon Community College, Eastern Michigan University and Grand Valley State University.Students and alumni from these colleges, as well as the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University and Muskegon Community College, are featured."Pilot Error" follows up on the success of Rapoport’s first film, "Waterwalk" (2012), which has played at over 200 theaters nationwide.“Our goal is to encourage more hands-on training and simulator training at a time when the industry is increasingly focused on automation,” he explains.Thomsen has distinguished herself on stages at the Hope Summer Repertory Theater, the Muskegon Civic Theater and the Howmet Playhouses. She teaches in the theater departments at Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State University. A winner of a special Irene Ryan Award for her undergraduate work on the Kennedy Center stage, she earned her MFA at the University of California-Irvine. She currently lives in Kalamazoo with her husband Travis, a middle school principal, and their two young children.The film is coproduced with Robert Goodrich, owner of the Goodrich Theater chain."Pilot Error" is edited by Gene Gamache, who has won many awards for his work on major studio film marketing campaigns and trailers, ranging from "Forrest Gump" to "12 Years A Slave." He also produced the documentary "Houdini." The film’s score is composed by Emmy Award-winner Garth Neustadter. Grand Haven-based cinematographer David Darling worked with well-known Detroit director of photography Bruce Schermer, who shot most of "Roger & Me" and was cinematographer on Sundance grand prize winning "Chameleon Street."The film is based on five years of research and interviews with more than 200 pilots, airline executives, plane manufacturers, regulatory agencies and the team that found missing Air France 447 in the Atlantic. The script and Rapoport’s forthcoming novel, "Pilot Error," offer audiences an inside look at the fate of pilots unfortunately kept in the dark about failed automation.“Top airline training pilots speaking at our preview events have been warmly received by audiences trying to understand how, in the most interconnected moment in human history, it’s never been easier to hide the truth,” says Rapoport.- Source: http://www.mlive.com

REDLANDS>> The committee tasked with developing requirements for air shows at the city airport has begun discussions on how it can be beneficial for everyone.

The committee held its first meeting Thursday, starting with goals and a list of concerns.

Hangar 24 Brewery, an aviation-themed brewery at Redlands Municipal Airport, has hosted the Air Fest show for the past three years to coincide with its anniversary.

“I look forward to working together to shift paradigms on both sides,” said committee member Gil Brown, owner of Coyote Aviation. Brown said he has not been approached by Hangar 24 representatives and he could not operate his business because of the show.

The committee includes two members of the city Airport Advisory Board, the Redlands Airport Association, the president of the Experimental Aircraft Association chapter in Redlands, business owners and pilots. It will meet biweekly, with the next two meetings scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Nov. 24 and Dec. 10 in the airport lobby, to help with future show planning at the city-owned airport.

City staff also will hold meetings with Hangar 24 representatives and committee members.

The event has been hosted by Hangar 24 Charities, a nonprofit formed by the brewery, which also gets proceeds from the show.

Paul and Sue Cook, parents of Ben Cook, owner and master brewer, attended the meeting on behalf of Hangar 24.

“We want to move forward and we want all of your suggestions,” said Sue Cook. “I think everyone here has a passion for aviation and can only make it a better air show.”

Some business owners and pilots have had concerns over how the show has been handled. They have said they were never approached by Hangar 24 about the show and were unhappy with its impact on their businesses.

Each committee member shared their thoughts on what they thought the show should be, including more family friendly events to introduce youth to aviation and to make more people aware of the airport.

A HondaJet blew a tire upon landing Friday at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The incident happened at about 11:30 a.m., said Julie Beadle, director of operations for the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority.

She said no one was injured.

Firefighters responded to the scene.

"It was a fairly minor incident," Beadle said.

Honda officials said in a statement that the aircraft was returning to the airport from a routine test flight mission.

"There were no injuries and no damage to the airplane," according to the statement. "The tire was replaced on the aircraft, and the aircraft has now returned to service."

Honda Aircraft Co.'s $4.5 million HondaJet, touted as a lightweight, fuel-efficient business jet, has garnered 100 orders. Honda expects to achieve aircraft type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration in the first quarter of 2015 and begin deliveries of the plane soon afterward.

Honda Aircraft recently announced that it had begun construction on a $19 million, 74,000-square-foot expansion of its world headquarters at PTI.

LAFAYETTE —A search committee will winnow the number of candidates vying to be Lafayette Regional Airport director from five to four next week as the Lafayette Airport Commission moves toward choosing a director in January.

Committee members on Nov. 20 will eliminate one of the remaining
candidates based on interviews Thursday that each lasted less than an
hour. The interviews, conducted in a conference room at Stone Energy’s
headquarters in Lafayette, were done using video teleconferencing. The
five candidates were interviewed from their offices in Louisiana, Texas
and Georgia.

The five finalists were among more than 30 from across the country
who applied for the job, a vacancy created by the June resignation of
longtime airport Director Greg Roberts. The number was whittled to eight
in mid-October, then five in late October.

“I think we did good with our five selections,” Commissioner Paul
Guilbeau said. “It’s making it harder and harder for us” to eliminate
candidates from consideration, he said.

Guilbeau, Tim Skinner and Valerie Gotch Garrett are commissioners who
serve on the search committee along with Lafayette City-Parish
Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux and Stone Energy Chief Executive Officer
David Welch.

The five candidates still in the hunt are Jason Devillier, of
Lafayette, director at the Iberia Parish Airport in New Iberia; Ralph
Hennessy, of Baton Rouge, assistant director of aviation at the Baton
Rouge Metropolitan Airport; Robert Kennedy, of East Point, Georgia, vice
president of consulting services for Aviation Strategies International
in Georgia; Steven Picou, of Amarillo, Texas, deputy director of
aviation at the Amarillo International Airport in Texas; and David
Blackshear, of Lafayette, vice president of Applied Airport Technology
in Maryland.

In the round of eliminations in mid-October, Devillier and Kennedy received the highest scores among those remaining.

Commissioners on Thursday debated whether, after the list is narrowed
next week, one or two commissioners should travel to the offices of the
candidates for the next round of interviews. That decision also could
be made Nov. 20.

The director search is going on at the same time Lafayette Parish
voters are pondering a Dec. 6 vote that would temporarily add a1-cent sales taxto pay for airport improvements.

The tax, which would not be charged on food and prescription drugs,
would be collected for eight months in 2015. The proceeds, an estimated
$35 million, would help pay for construction of a bigger terminal at the
airport and more parking.

Larry Sides, whose firm Sides & Associates is helping with the
director search and tax passage, said the commission decided not to rush
to have the next director in place by the time of the vote on Dec. 6.

All the remaining candidates have exhibited key traits commissioners said they value: friendliness and social grace.

“(The director) needs to be the face of the airport and the people of Lafayette,” Guilbeau said.

In an interview, Guilbeau chose not to mention the name of former
Director Roberts, whose nature was prickly and confrontational. His
resignation followed an incident in which he pointed a fake handgun at
an engineer with whom he disagreed. Roberts’ relations with others hit
other bumps during the 21 years he was director.

District Attorney Mike Harson declined to charge Roberts after the engineer at whom the fake weapon was pointed asked for the case to be dropped.